How To Help A Child To Decide On A Profession In Childhood - Image, Society

I am a mother of a two-year-old, at the same time I am a trainer in career guidance programs for adults. And it is quite obvious that the question "Who will my child be in the future?" worries me now. I'm sure I'm not the only one puzzled by this. And most modern thinking parents begin to ask themselves this question almost from the very first steps of their children. How to resolve this issue and help the child to choose a profession competently and wisely?

And not so as to impose on the child something that was not possible at one time to realize himself, in order to unconsciously close his own gestalt. And so, to help the child at the right time to feel and understand in which direction his soul is calling.

First, let's understand what it means to help. Parental support is, of course, very important and is an essential element in building the foundation of a child's confidence, strength and will. What is important is the help that is the support.

Unfortunately, not every parent has the ability to support a child. More often it is still help from the category "Sit on the sidelines, eat ice cream, I will decide everything right now!" We sometimes "flirt" with caring for a child, missing important moments of his growing up, when the best help is just for us, parents, to step aside. Indeed, in order for a child to learn to eat from a spoon himself, he needs to be smeared with food from head to toe, and more than once. And if you feed him with your hand every time, then the moment when he starts to do it on his own will be greatly delayed.

Translating all of the above into the plane of professional self-determination, we can say that the moment of choosing a university is the very moment when a huge number of parents are activated with their unclosed gestalt, coupled with “psychological baggage”. And at this moment, it is better for the parent to step aside and transfer all responsibility for the choice to his child.

You can really help a child several years before choosing a university and admission. And it's better to be puzzled by this from childhood. So that for sure. Then there is a great chance not to turn the choice of profession into an exhausting competition with the time of life, but to open up for the child the search for himself as a lifestyle in general

So an internal request for self-actualization and self-realization, followed by a search for answers, will become absolutely normal for him and as natural as drinking and eating. Why all this? Because a person can be truly happy only when he realizes the potential inherent in him. And this is possible only by doing what you love.

Where to begin? 2 important steps to making an informed choice of a profession

1st step. Focus your attention on the child

This is the first and most important thing. Start observing your child. But not just observe, but consciously. Observe what he does and what he does when he is alone with himself. Even if at a very early age this “one-on-one” only lasts a few minutes. To observe what - what kind of toys or objects in the house and in the outside world - his hands reach and his interested gaze is directed.

By the way, watching a child with a not yet "blinkered" consciousness in early childhood can be much more informative than at an older age. Although the craving for the abilities and talents inherent in him at the age of three - four - five years may still not manifest itself.

The parent's task is to create a thoughtful and well-built developmental environment for the child. Yes, one in which there would be opportunities for the disclosure of all spheres of its development, and there are no less than eight of them:

• thinking,
• speech,
• fine motor skills,
• musical development,
• creative and aesthetic development,
• emotional, personal and social development,
• development of self-service skills,
• physical development.

So, for example, you can use a certain set of books and cards to develop speech. For the “fine motor skills” sphere, you can select a separate box with some small details, beads, and even a container with buckwheat. The Swedish wall is ideal for physical development. Musical will help provide sound toys, children's musical instruments, as well as daily listening to music. Creative - paints, brushes, pencils, plasticine, dough, sand. Puzzles, colored stickers, multi-colored and different-sized details will help to develop thinking.

This stage is quite passive, but very important. You create conditions in your space and consciously begin to observe and study your child within these conditions

2nd step. Experiment

Noticing what activities the child is interested in, you can try to introduce him to the professional environment where he could satisfy his interest and apply the ability.

In order for a hobby or passion to naturally develop into a profession, three conditions must be met:

1. Abilities, talents, given from birth.
2. Opportunities to realize these abilities.
3. And - certainly! - the child's desire. Without it, nothing will come of it.

Our, parental, area of responsibility is clause 2. Completely and completely. After all, we are responsible for those whom we gave birth to. Patience and consideration for children are our essential companions on the path to success.

When is the best time to start?

Whenever. It is possible right from early childhood. Experts identify four age stages on the path that can lead a child to a truly beloved profession.

Up to 3 years

The stage when the foundation for the entire subsequent process is poured. The stage when the very developmental environment for the child is created, in which the parent simply watches him. At this stage, you can note the reaction to the activities that are offered to the child. To see what he does better and what does less. Notice what is interesting and what is protest or ignorance. All this can be written in a diary and then analyzed. At this stage, it is already possible to identify areas that the child likes best.

3 to 10 years old

An important task at this age is to acquaint the child with the variety of opportunities, show him as many interesting activities as possible. At this stage, various "circles" of interest, group lessons, practical master classes are good. That is, everything where the skills revealed at the previous stage can be applied in practice.

A great opportunity is to visit thematic spaces by the type of a city of professions (for example, “The Children's City of Masters of Masterslavl”), where a child can really try on one or another job.

Such career guidance at such an early age is the absolute permissibility of doing a large number of trials without fear of making a mistake. You can train your abilities and strengths in different professions. You can attend a variety of unimaginable classes and thereby not only reveal and train your talents and abilities, but also the skill to choose.

This period captures an important stage of preparation for school, therefore, its choice and the period of successful adaptation already in themselves allow us to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the child and select the necessary programs for further development

10 to 14 years old

By this time, the child managed to see and try a lot, to identify his interests and even to have hobbies. But a difficult adolescence can break the trust between him and the parent. Since most often at this time the teenager rejects the parent, at the same time he needs a strong adult mentor.

So, healthy parental insight can help him in this and in time to acquaint the child with the “right” adult in the person of, for example, a wise teacher with a good reputation. Or a professional trainer, head of a "circle" on topics of interest to the child

14-18 years old

If the previous three stages were passed correctly, then at this stage the child - the one who is no longer a child at all, but a teenager - has already confidently made his choice.

At this stage, career counselors or adolescent guidance specialists may be involved

The active position of an adult here comes down to looking for and finding worthy tutors and wise teachers who will help the child prepare and enter the best educational institution in the chosen direction.

And if time is lost?

It doesn't work that way. Unleashing your potential is never too late. Can be tricky. Start by rebuilding trust between you and your child. It would be nice to understand what he thinks about his place in life, how he sees him. And if he does not see or sees dimly, then help him dispel this fog. It is up to the parent. A thinking and conscientious parent.

And remember that there are no untalented children. Each person is endowed with gifts from above from birth. Those same talents. The question is whether they managed to reveal them, or they are still in a lethargic dream. If the abilities have not yet been revealed, then this is not a problem, but just a task, the purpose of which is to help awaken gifts to your already, perhaps, an adult child

More about this: M. Suzdaleva At Home with Mom: The System of Child Development from A to Z. Rostov-on-Don: Phoenix, 2016.

Every child from an early age hears the question: "What do you want to become when you grow up?" And often the kid gives standard answers: a businessman, a designer or just a "star". Unfortunately, today's children are very poorly informed about the variety of specialties.

Most people do things they don't like, and professional dissatisfaction makes a person unhappy. Doing your daily chores that doesn’t bring any joy creates stress and fear for your future. In addition, a person who is not realized in work develops low self-esteem and a loser complex.

Parents want to help their child with the choice of a profession, but do not always know how and when to do it. Some moms and dads believe that it is necessary to start "defining" in high school. The teenager frantically goes through the options, and as a result enters the university on the principle of "small competition", "near home", "somewhere you have to go."

In fact, it makes sense to think about the future of your child from preschool age. This, of course, is not about choosing a profession "once and for all." This is about providing the opportunity to try a variety of activities. And awareness of the personal characteristics of the baby, his inclinations and abilities. When a child does what he likes, he is elated and inspired to new achievements. He is good at something, and he glows with happiness.

The Masterslavl project introduces its young visitors to a variety of professions. The child can try himself in the role of a customs officer, driver, builder, doctor, postman. And not just work, but get a "salary" and spend it. All classes are conducted in a playful way, in a kind and joyful atmosphere. A bakery and an autodrome, a beauty salon and a hospital, an Emergency Situations Ministry station and a stock exchange - Masterslavl is equipped with many professional sites. Together, they represent a model of a city with its complete infrastructure.

The child must understand how diverse the world of professions is, how specific each of them is. Often, adolescents cannot choose their profession, not because they cannot determine their interests and desires, but because they have no idea what to choose from. If a person has not tried any activity, how can he know if he likes it or not? Therefore, the Masterslavl project is a great opportunity to try on different roles and define your inclinations and talents.